NFL: Local Favorites On Separate Paths

Eleven weeks into the NFL season, fans around here have experienced highs and lows.

In Foxborough, there were some lows before the more recent highs. In East Rutherford, it's been mostly lows for two franchises spinning their wheels. As we buckle up for the final six games of the regular season, let's take stock of our local favorites:

The Season: It's an odd, work-in-progress year for Bill Belichick's crew. They were 2-2 at the end of September and coming off a brutal loss to the Chiefs, prompting the talk radio crowd to speculate about Tom Brady's future. Was it time to show the icon the door and give rookie Jimmy Garoppolo some meaningful snaps? Garoppolo is the future, Brady is the past, and the Patriots were idling.

Six games later, that chatter seems silly. With Rob Gronkowski emerging as, well, vintage Gronk, Brady has looked like vintage Brady and the Patriots have reeled off six wins in a row. And even when Brady's not at his best — he was intercepted twice against the Colts Sunday night — Belichick pulls a rabbit out of his hat. In this case, the rabbit's name was Jonas Gray (38 carries, 199 yards, four touchdowns).

The Season: Where to begin? After dropping their first two games, the Giants won three in a row and there was hope as October began. They haven't won since.

Five losses in a row has the fan base antsy and Tom Coughlin's seat is heating up more every day. Can things get much worse than Eli Manning's five interceptions in a 16-10 loss to the 49ers Sunday? We have six remaining games to find out. Manning completed 22 of 45 passes and San Francisco linebacker Chris Borland told reporters the veteran quarterback "had happy feet all game." Of course, Manning didn't get much protection.

The front office hasn't exactly surrounded him with a complete roster, but did anyone expect a season like this? If there's one bright spot in a season in which Victor Cruz went down with a season-ending injury, it's the emergence of dynamic rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He had six catches against the 49ers and might be one reason to tune in to Giants games the rest of the season.

The Future: There are only two opponents with winning records (Dallas and Philadelphia) left on the schedule, so the Giants could post a few wins. Otherwise, they're playing for a high draft pick and perhaps for their coach's job.

The Season: Nothing is ever drama-free in the world of Rex Ryan, right? This season has been defined by Geno Smith's trials and tribulations as the starting quarterback, with Michael Vick looming in the background.

The Jets opened with a win over the hapless Raiders before losing eight in a row. Just when it looked like they were making a run at the No. 1 pick in the draft, the Jets upset —- and we mean upset —- the Steelers. It was a masterful defensive coaching performance by Ryan, a reminder of why the Jets hired him in the first place. But it's too little, too late.

Ryan is really coaching out the schedule and the Jets will likely hand the keys to another coach after the season. The six remaining games include matchups with the Patriots and Dolphins, both likely losses, so it's hard to imagine the Jets reeling off a winning streak to save Rex. Meanwhile, GM John Idzik — he of the rambling press conference — is every bit as vulnerable and might also be spending the next six weeks updating his resume.

The Future: A familiar storyline for Jets fans. It's time for a new regime. Do they draft another franchise QB? Do they hire a hot-shot college coach or an established NFL assistant? Who replaces Idzik?